here is E’s shiny new toshiba chromebook 2, which she is learning her way around, with very little help from me (as if).  thanks to my helpful son for the good advice.

once again, E made her famous ‘pie italiano’, featuring secret ‘italian’ ingredients, and her distinctive personalized lattice crust!  here are before and after shots.  ‘after’ meaning i barely had time to catch a photo before it went into our belly.  nom.

here is the final restored secretary.  shiny!  also, the obligatory erev scenes.

it was amazing!  what were the chances?  around 4 pm we got to the place where the boardwalk at the fen crosses that  channel where we had the beaver sighting last time, and there was the same huge beaver, just sitting there, watching us!  i mean humongous, and fearless.  then, just as before, it calmly glided under us and out to the main stream, where it just hung out in the water.  the whole time i was standing practically on top of him, taking photos, didn’t phase him a bit.  at that same moment, a (deer) hunter happened by, and we all watched the beaver and exchanged info about hunting and park wildlife.  he was very pleasant.  it was freezing (at least for us hibernators) but well worth it.  check out my close-ups!

as promised, here are first shots of E’s refurbished secretary.  it retains its character, with some of the old timeworn nicks and scars, but has a new shiny exterior.  hmm, somewhat like its owner, one could say.  if you could see the before (which i neglected to photo… :/ ) you’d barely recognize it.

after buying copies of the local paper containing E’s official name change public notice (to be legalized in Jan.), we of course adjourned to the Tavern, where we enjoyed a Saugatuck (Michigan) neapolitan milk stout by the fire.  obligatory hippie tunes on the jukebox.